The present invention relates generally to a hood for earthmoving machines and, more particularly, to a hood for the engine compartment of a backhoe in which a front bucket arm hinged to the vehicle frame to move parallel to the vertical centerline plane of the vehicle, and a bucket or shovel hinged to the free end of the bucket arm to rotate about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the vertical centerline plane of the vehicle.
The bucket arm is normally fixed to the vehicle frame between the cab and the engine compartment, and is defined by two half-arms hinged to the vehicle on opposite sides of the vehicle frame so that each is movable in a plane parallel to the vertical centerline plane of the vehicle, and by a transverse stiffening member connecting the two half-arms rigidly to each other.
Since the engine compartment is enclosed permanently between the two half-arms of the bucket arm, the engine compartment hood currently comprises a top panel fixed permanently to the vehicle frame over the engine inside the compartment, and two side panels fixed to the vehicle frame on opposite sides of the engine so as to close the engine compartment in an upside down U-shaped shell. The two side panels can obviously be taken off the frame to enable access to the inside of the engine compartment.
Hoods of the above type have the major drawback of not being very practical, on account of the size and weight of the side panels making them difficult to handle.
Moreover, when removed for access to the engine compartment, the side panels are very often set aside carelessly and, when the work on the engine is completed, are often crushed by the vehicle leaving the service area because the mechanic has forgotten to fit them back onto the frame.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hood for earthmoving machines, which is more practical than currently known types.
According to the present invention, there is provided a hood for earthmoving machines, the hood comprising a top panel, and two side panels extending beneath and on opposite sides of the top panel to form a substantially upside down U-shaped shell resting on a frame of the vehicle to close a generic compartment of said vehicle; said hood being characterized in that said side panels extend substantially parallel to a vertical centerline plane of the vehicle; and in that at least one of said side panels is hinged to the frame of the vehicle to rotate, about an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to said vertical centerline plane of the vehicle, between an open position in which the side panel is located over said top panel to permit access to said compartment, and a closed position in which the side panel is located beneath said top panel to close the compartment.
These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplished according to the instant invention by providing a hood for earthmoving machines, such as a backhoe, which includes a top panel and two side panels extending beneath and on opposite sides of the top panel to form a substantially upside down U-shaped shell resting on a frame of the vehicle to close the engine compartment of the backhoe. The side panels extend substantially parallel to a vertical centerline plane of the vehicle and are hinged to the frame of the vehicle to rotate, about an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the vertical centerline plane of the vehicle, between an open position in which the side panel is located over the top panel to permit access to the engine compartment, and a closed position in which the side panel is located beneath the top panel to close the engine compartment.